Dominio de las Abejas Estate
Founded: 2015 by Mauricio Ruiz and family
Winemaker: Mauricio Ruiz (Mexican born, lives part time in Ensenada and part time in Australia where he runs two other organic biodynamic natural wineries
Winery location: Valle de Ojos Negros, Baja California
Region and grape source: Las Abejas is a concept winery that was started based on choosing the best possible piece of land for growing grapes in anticipation of climate change. Their search alighted on a piece of land in the high elevation Valle de Ojos Negros in Baja California, located just south and slightly inland from Valle de Guadalupe. Priority was placed on organic certification since the beginning, and the vineyards are certified organic by the CCOF. All grapes in their wines come from estate vineyards.
Vineyard location, elevation and grape varieties: The las Abejas vineyard is located in a very unique section of Valle de Ojos Negros that was once a marsh, (when the water table was much higher than it is now). The marsh was a resource for untold generations of migratory waterfowl all of which left deposits that enriched the soil. The marsh was gone long before they purchased the land, but the signature of this period is left in the rich and unique composition of the soil which has far more organic content than the surrounding area. At 2,200 ft in elevation, the main challenge of growing grapes here is the threat of frost during the growing season. They grow 10 grape varieties: Nebbiolo, Grenache, Nero D' Avola, Cinsault, Carignan, Chardonnay, Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, and Zinfandel.
Notes:
- The wines of las Abejas are made naturally. Ambient yeast fermentation, no corrections or additions, no filtration or fining and only a 30 ppm sulfite addition at bottling. This absolute gem of an estate is one of only a handful of organic certified vineyards in Mexico making 100% natural wine that is clean and precise, showing no faults of any kind. Their creations are at the top level of natural wines worldwide.
Total Production: 5 wines 3,400 cases
2025 Nebbiolo - Dominio de las Abejas
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
A long, cool 2025 growing season in Ojos Negros brought a later, slower ripening for their epic and renowned Nebbiolo, rewarding patience with beautifully developed fruit. Dry conditions, warm days, and cold nights extended hang time, yielding a larger crop with notable aromatic depth and intensity. The wine shows a compelling balance of brightness and structure, with polished tannins that allowed for a shorter élevage to preserve its freshness and floral lift. The result is a Nebbiolo of purity and finesse, defined by vibrant energy, layered aromatics, and the quiet concentration of a cool, extended season.
600 cases made
Drinking window: upon release – 8 years
Vintage:
2025
Blend:
100% Nebbiolo
Producer:
Dominio de las Abejas
Winemaker:
Mauricio Ruiz - Mexican
Vineyards:
Valle de Ojos Negros - Estate vineyards planted in 2015 (with additional plantings in 2022) on the site of an ancient riverbed composed of a variety of soil profiles. The areas surrounding the old riverbed consist of rich red clay loams over brown and sandy loams with calcareous rocks at depth, whereas the old riverbed itself is comprised of a quite sandy white-gray loam, over brown-gray loam. The former is quite nutrient rich which leads to better vigor, yields, and concentrated fruit, while the latter has quite poor soil that leads to tiny crops with of amazing complexity.
The Nebbiolo in particular is planted in the northern part of the block, in a red clay loam that has excellent drainage due to rock formations and sandier loam at depth. At an elevation of 2,200ft, this is high desert and the very definition of extreme viticulture. Vineyards are certified organic by the CCOF.
Winemaking:
In 2025, the Nebbiolo was fermented at cool temperatures and left on skins for around two and a half weeks, (slightly longer than in previous vintages) allowing for a slower, more deliberate maceration that gently built structure while preserving its naturally lifted, fragrant character. Throughout, the focus remained on capturing the purity, finesse, and aromatic beauty that defined the parcel from the start.
Following fermentation, the wine was transferred to concrete eggs for élevage, where it rested for less than six months - months shorter than in prior years. With aromatics already so vivid and floral, extended aging felt unnecessary, leading to an earlier bottling that preserves the wine’s brightness, precision, and natural elegance at its most vibrant.
Farming:
Organic certified, sustainable
Alcohol:
13.7%
